Island Arts

The crowds were out on Thompson Avenue, ahem, excuse me, Christmas Tree Lane again last Saturday, to start off one of the Island City’s treasured annual holiday traditions. Nearly all of the houses along the lane present over-the-top lighted decorations that have featured everything from an animatronic Night Before Christmas to Star Wars’ BB-8. Good ol’ St. Nicholas himself even drops by for a visit, starting this weekend. Christmas Tree Lane will remain lit every night through
New Year’s Eve, which falls on a Sunday this year.

Rhythmix Cultural Works continues its mission of bringing fascinating elements of music and culture to the Island City when it hosts three of the world’s top accordion acts this Saturday, Dec. 9: Those Darn Accordions, Jet Black Pearl and Big Lou the Accordion Princess. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

No less than Teller of the famed duo Penn & Teller described the performance as, “Sexy, raw and diabolically funny.” (And he’s the quiet one.) ‘Tis the season, after all, for polka! Get into the swingin’ spirit of the holidays with accordion music that offers a modern twist.

The publishers of the Alameda Sun, Dennis Evanosky and Eric J. Kos, recently found out they have been selected among 10 finalists for Spitball Magazine’s Casey Award. The award recognizes authors of “The Best Baseball Book of the Year.” Kos and Evanosky completed Lost Ballparks, published by Pavilion Books, in 2016. The book is being considered for the 2017 Caseys. The duo will find out who won the award in March 2018.

Alameda resident and author Donna Marie Ferro recently announced she will hold readings from her new holiday-themed book The Reindeer Dog at local coffee shops. She describes her book as “a gift to all children and adults who believe in the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus.”